Button lock



June 22, 1937. I 5 w R D 2,084,745

BUTTON LOCK Filed Feb. 21, 1956 I I .52 4b INVENTOR ATTORNEY Patented June 22, 1937 BUTTON LOCK Sydney W. Reynolds, Ripon, Calif.

Application February 21, 1936, Serial No. 65,135

2 Claims.

This invention relates to mens undergarments having flaps provided with buttons and button holes, and particularly to garments of this character which are made of relatively soft and easily stretched material, such as various cotton fabrics.

In garments made of these fabrics, the button holes invariably stretch in a short time, so that the buttons do not remain engaged therewith, but slip out, especially if any stretching strain is placed on the garment as it is worn.

It is therefore the principal object of my invention to provide a simple and inexpensive device, permanently mounted on the garment, and by means of which the buttons may be readily 5 held or locked against retractive movement through the button holes once they have been engaged therewith, and regardless of stretch or enlargement of the same. At the same time, the buttons may be easily released whenever de 20 sired to remove the garment. Also, the device does not interfere in any way with the laundering of the garment.

These objects I accomplish by means of such structure and relative arrangement of parts as 5 will fully appear by a perusal of the following specification and claims.

In the drawing similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several views:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary front view of an under- 30 shirt with the flaps separated and showing my button lock device mounted on the button hole flap.

Fig. 2 is a similar view, showing the button look as in operation.

Fig. 3 is a similar View of a modified form of the device.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view showing a modifled mounting of the button locking tab.

Referring now more particularly to the char- 40 acters of reference on the drawing, and especially at this time to Figures 1 and 2, the body I of the garment is provided as usual with front flaps 2 and 3 adapted to overlap each other when the garment is being worn. The flap 2 is pro- 45 vided with spaced buttons 4, adapted to engage in the button holes 5 on the flap 3.

The button lock device which is applied to this standard garment construction, comprises a length of flexible material such as narrow tape 50 or cord 6. This extends down the edge of the flap 3 on its outer face and past the various button holes; being secured to said flap only at points between the button holes as indicated at 1. Points of securing are such as to leave 55 about an inch of unsecured cord across each button hole. This securing may be accomplished by sewing the cord on the flap or by threading the same through the flap so that the portions of the cord adjacent the button holes are free.

Therefore, when the buttons are engaged in 5 the button holes, the free portions of the cord may be passed over and then under the buttons so as to engage the central sewing or axial connection of the buttons with the garment, and thus hold said button sewing confined adjacent 10 the outer end of the button holes. Undesired releasing or slipping out of the buttons is thus prevented. At the same time, it is easy to disengage the cord from the buttons so that the latter may be retracted from the button holes.

In Figure 3, the button lock device takes the form of flexible tabs 8 of any suitable shape, and one for each button. Tabs are mounted on the garment flap 2a to the side of the buttons to, opposite the edge of the flap by sewing the tabs along their edge adjacent the buttons as at In on a line substantially parallel to said edge of the flap. The tabs are provided with button holes 9, which are aligned with the buttons and with the flap button holes 5a transversely of the flaps.

When the buttons are engaged in the button holes 511, therefore, the tabs may be folded over the flap 3a and engaged with the buttons projecting through the button holes So as shown. With this arrangement, therefore, it will be practically impossible for the buttons to slip out, especially as the tabs are made of relatively nonstretchable material.

If desired, the tab may be mounted as shown 5 in Fig. 4. In this case, the tab 8a is sewed on the garment flap 21) along its edge furthest from the edge of the fiap, as shown at Ma, so that it projects toward said edge and overlaps the button 412, at all times. When not in use, the tab is engaged with the button before the latter is projected through the garment flap, and is then out of the way.

From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that I have produced such a device as substantially fulfills the objects of the invention as set forth herein.

While this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferred construction of the device, still in practice such deviations from such detail may be resorted to as do not form a departure from the spirit of the invention, as defined by the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I 55 2. In a garment having flaps to overlap each other, a button on one flap, the other flap having a buttonhole to receive said button when the flaps are in overlapping relationship, and a flexible element mounted on one flap substantially parallel to and adjacent the edge thereof and secured thereon only at spaced points above and below the buttonhole in position to engage about the button when projected through the buttonhole.

SYDNEY W. REYNOLDS. 

